Method of manufacturing shoes



Feb. 16 1926.

1,573,289 w. A. WITHERS METHOi) OF MANUFACTURING SHOES Filed Feb. 11, 1924 Jfforng Patented Feb. 16, 1926.

i,573,28ti

WILLIAM A.-'WITHERS, OF ELIZABETHTO'WN, PfELQ-TNSYLVANIA, ASSIGIIOR TD Vi. A.

VIITHERS SHOE COMPANY, OF ELIZABETHTOW'N, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPQEA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING $I-IOES.

Application filed February 11, 1924.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM A. Wrriinns, a citizen of the United States, residing at lillizahethtown. in the county of Lancaster caused by the presence of lasting cords or tacks. I

It is also an object of my invention to provide an improved method of manufacturing shoes.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a method of manufacturing shoes by Which I produce the equivalent of the well-known Goodyear Welt without necessitating the use of complicated machinery.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a method of making shoes by which I am able to produce an equivalent of the wellknown Goodyear welt by simple sewing,'turning and stapling operations.

7 It is still another object of my invention to provide a shoe, the sole of which is absolutely free from tacks, including the heel portion.

Certain'ot the steps used .in the manufacturing of shoes according to the present in vention are shown and described in my copending application, Serial No. 691,885, filed February 11, 1924:. In that application, I have shown and described a method of securing a moistened Welt to a shoe upper, turning the united Welt and upper over an innersole, and then permitting the Welt to dry in place. The resistance to change the shape of the dried Welt is then utilized for holding the shoe in shape during subsequent operations. The present invention relates more particularly to the securing of the in nersole to the dried Welt.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is a perspective view of a shoe embodying my invention preparatory to placing the outer sole thereon.

ciunierence thereby forming an int section Fig. 2 is an exploded view in or iodying my invenof a COHIPlBi'Qtl shoe cm tion.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of a channeled iunorsole empl yed in the inarui'l'acturc oi shoes according to my invention.

My invention comprises, in general, a shoe. upper 1 to an inner portion oi which secured an inner portion of a shoe Welt by means of stitches 3; an inner solo a then being secured to the united wait and upper portions by securing means (3, such as staples or threads; an outer sole 7 being then secured to the outer portion of welt 2 by stitches 8. The Welt '2 is moistened when attached to the upper l for a purpose hereinafter described.

Referring to Fig. 3, ll inncrsole 4- is channeled around sulnitantially its entire cir ral iutcrnally extending lip 9. As is shown in 2, lip 9 is, :l'orined by scuriing or channelling the innersoletor a short distance from its edges, and the resultant strip of inaterial extends inn'z'irdly of the innersole from a line 11 adjacent to the edge of the inncrsole. No claim is made in tho 'ai'eseut application to the method of channelliug innersoles, excepting in so far as it is necessary to complete the several steps hereinafter de scribed.

Referring to Fig. 1, alter the upper 1 and welt 2 have been turned over a last, and the welt has become suiliciently dry to permit the shoe to hold its shape, according to the process (lOSClll'Jttl in my copending application, the innersole 4; is placed in junta position to the united welt and upper portions. If desired, the innersole i may be tacked to the forming last, over which the united upper 1 and well: 2 are drawn. In this position, the lip 9 naturally tends to extend outwardly from the interior of the shoe and against the inturned edges of the united Welt and upper portions.

The lip -9 is then secured to the united Welt and upper portion by a simple stapling operation. Ir" desired, stitches may he used in lieu of the staples (5. However, I .tind it more efficient and economical to employ a stapling operation in this step in the manufacture of the shoe. The advantage of the several steps heretofore outlined will be ap prec-iated when it is considered that in the prior art'Where a lip, upper and Welt Were united in a single operation, it Was necessary to employ complicated and expensive machinery for this operation. By my method, it is only necessary to employ a stitching operation and a stapling operation, both of these operations being preformed on inexpensive and simple machinery. The stapling operation may be carried around the entire periphery of the shoe including the heel portion, thereby obviating the necessity for permanent tacks in any portion of the shoe sole.

After the inner sole has been secured to the united Welt and upper portions, a filler 12, such as cork, is placed ovr the outer surface of the innersole in order to present a smooth surface to the outer sole 7. it is to be understood, however, that the useof a filler 12 is optional with my method of manufacturing shoes and that for many types of shoes, such a filler is unnecessary.

The outer sole 7 is then secured to the.

outer edge of the Welt 2 by suitable stitches 8. Suitable adhesive may previously be placed over the welt 2 and the inner sole 4, or iiller 12, for securing the outersole thereto if desired. After the outersole. 7 is placed on the shoe, the usual dressing and pressing operations are completed. As those operations form no part of the present invention, a detailedv discussion thereof is believed to be unnecessary.

it will thus be seen that I have provided a method for securing an innersole to a combined outer and Welt portion of a shoethat is accomplished by a simple securing operation Without the necessity for employing expensive or complicated machinery. The result being obtained by first uniting portions of the Welt and upper portions, and then uniting the lip of the channeled innersole to the united portions by a stapling operation.

Shoes made in accordance with the foregoing method are free from the unevenness caused by the presence of lasting tacks or cords, even 1n the heel portion Where lasting'tacks are frequently allowed to remain. The metal staples employed are of such fine material that they are not liable to wear through or cause any unevenness in the associated leather.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the details and arrangements oi my invention Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims. I

I claim as my invention:

1. A method of making shoes that includes securing an inner portion of a shoe upper to an inner edge of a Welt, placing the united portions over a channeled inner sole having a lip formed thereon, and then securing the lip onthe inner sole to the united upper and Welt portions.

2. A method of making shoes that includes securing an inner portion of a shoe upper to an inner edge of a Welt, placing the united portions over a channeled inner sole having a lip formed thereon, and then stapling the lip on the innersole to the united upper and Welt portion along their entire periphery.

A. method of making shocsthat includes securing an inner portion of a shoe upper .to an inner portion of. a welt, placing the united portions over an externally channeled innersole having a lip formed thereon, and then securing the lip on the innersole to the united upper and Welt portions.

4. A method of making shoes that includes securing an inner portion of a shoe upper to an inner portion of Welt, placing the united port-ions over an externally channeled innersole having a lip formed thereon, and then securing the lip on the innersole to the united upper and Welt portions, and then securing an outer sole to-the outer porton of the Welt.

\VILLIAM A. lVI'lHERS. 

